The average power Eddy Merckx required to overcome air resistance on his
record-breaking ride in Mexico at 49.431 km/hr is given by:

P = 0.961·0.39·(49.431/3.6)3
P = 485 watts

We can also calculate the speed which the Belgian champion would have reached had he
been riding any of the three other bicycles which we discussed earlier. We assume the same
power, 485 watts, as in his actual record performance. The results given in Table 2 show
that King Eddy, given the preparation he had in 1972, would have become the holder of a 52
km hour record if he had ridden Francesco Moser's bicycle. It is likely that Merckx would
have pushed the record even further if, in addition, he had had Moser's three months'
training program and medical assistance. We do not hesitate to affirm that Eddy Merckx
would have exceeded 52 km, since our air resistance calculations have not accounted for
two factors which considerably augmented Francesco Moser's performance, namely:

-- plastic coating of the track, which saved him approximately 15 watts -- half the net
rolling resistance, with his ultra-narrow 17 mm tubulars.

-- weighting of the rear wheel, giving it a flywheel effect to help with pedaling
through the "dead center" positions, thus permitting a higher gear ratio.

We remember that Eddy Merckx started as if in a kilometer race, quickly putting himself
into oxygen debt, and he struggled energetically for the remainder of the hour -- while
Francesco Moser modulated his efforts according to a computerized plan, especially in his
first attempt. It would not be a bad bet that Eddy Merckx, given these same conditions of
medical assistance, would have exceeded . . . 53 km! On his traditional bicycle, Eddy
Merckx rode the last lap at 52 km/hr, putting out a power of 565 watts to overcome air
resistance. With Moser's bike, this would have driven him to 54.750 km/hr. To finish in a
sprint after an hour of effort in a state of muscular asphyxiation says a lot about the
deep resources of the exceptional champion who was Eddy Merckx.